My Favorite Christmas Movies

Come November & December I like to pull out and watch my favorite Christmas movies, or try out "new" old Christmas movies. After seeing Amanda's Christmas Film Classic post over at AmandaBeth Online, I decided to do my own list for y'all. 

Christmas in Connecticut {1945}

A magazine food writer {Barbara Stanwyck} has lied about being the perfect housewife must try to cover her deception when her boss and a returning war hero {Dennis Morgan} invite themselves to her farm in Connecticut for a traditional family Christmas.  Very sweet & fun! Plus, Barbara Stanwyck wears some really cute clothes! Always a huge plus. *grin* 

It Happened on 5th Avenue {1947}

A homeless New Yorker moves into a New Yorker Tycoon mansion when the owner goes south for the winter {the owner doesn't know} and along the way he gathers friends to live in the house along with him. Before he knows it, he is living with the actual home owners {who play along with the idea for their daughter}. The movie stars: Don DeFore & Gale Storm. This is one of my favorite Christmas films and Gale wears some adorable clothes too!

I'll Be Seeing You {1944}

A soldier {Joseph Cotten} suffering from battle fatigue meets a young woman {Ginger Rogers} on Christmas furlough from prison {for accidentally killing a man} and they fall-in-love. One of those tearjerking movies that is so perfectly lovely in the end. p.s. It also stars Shirley Temple. 

Christmas Holiday {1944}

All I will say is that this movie is very sad and is hard for me to describe {it's been awhile since I saw it}. But I do love it. It stars: Deanna Durbin & Gene Kelly in roles opposite from their norm.

The Bishop's Wife {1947}

A bishop {David Niven} trying to get a new cathedral built prays for guidance. An angel {Cary Grant} arrives, but his guidance isn't about fundraising. Instead he is there to help the bishop make his marriage with his wife {Loretta Young} better. One darling movie! Plus you get to see Cary Grant ice skate.

It's a Wonderful Life {1946}

An angel {Henry Travers} helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman {Jimmy Stewart} by showing what life would have been like if he never existed. This is a family favorite in our house. One of my favorite scenes is when George {Stewart} sees Mary {Donna Reed} all grown up at the High School graduation dance and asks her to dance {that whole dance scene just makes me want to dance}. Does anyone know where I can find a 1940s swing version of The Charleston, not a 20s version? As I adore the version in the movie!

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There are more Christmas movies I enjoy watching, but it would take me too much time to list them all for you. 


What are your favorite Christmas movies?

I ♥ Thursday {no. 16}

Tights in many colors and designs. I started wearing tights in other colors besides, black, white, and navy only last year and I'm obsessed {*laughs* that last part reminds of Beauty & the Beast}. 

The Jack Benny Radio Show - perfect for when you need a good laugh! *grin*

What have y'all been loving this week?

Who Inspires Me (Fashion Wise) - Lauren Bacall

I know it has been a really long time since I have done one of these. Like really long. Some of my readers may not even know of this series. If you haven't seen any of these posts before, here is who I've  done so far: Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Judy Garland, and Deanna Durbin.

Today's post is going to be on Lauren Bacall, one of my new favorite actresses. She was married to one of my favorite actors, Humphrey Bogart, and I simply adore the movies that they do together. But we are not talking about Bogie right now, but Bacall his wife. *smiles*

An adorable outfit that Bacall wears in Key Largo {1948} with Bogie. Very simple, yet chic.

 Adorable pant and blouse outfit. Love the button details on her blouse. 

Lovely lace blouse that could be perfect for 2011.

Love, love, love this stripe dress. {the fireplace is cute too!}

A full view picture of the outfit Bacall wears in Key Largo {1948}.

Movies I've seen her in: 

• To Have & Have Not {1944}
• Key Largo {1948}

On my "to watch list":

• The Big Sleep {1946} - This one is going to be on TCM come November 1st.
• Dark Passage {1947} - I own this one. Just haven't watched it yet. 
• Designing Woman {1957} - I'll be taping this one Wednesday on the TCM channel.

I can't believe I've only seen two of her movies so far. Well, that will be remedy soon.

What's your favorite outfit of Lauren Bacall's? And what's your favorite film with her? I'm always open to Old Hollywood movie recommendations.

I ♥ Thursday {no. 12}

Today is Thursday! Meaning it's time for I ♥ Thursday. Where I show y'all what I'm loving this week. 

Command Performance Radio Show {which you can download on internet archive} - A radio show which aired originally between 1942 - 1949. The program was broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Network to the troops overseas {only the the troops could listen to this radio show!}. I just listened to my first show today and fell head-over-in-heels in love with the program! It is hilarious! My favorite episode so far stars Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Margaret O'Brien, and Bing Crosby's kids.  Oh. My. Y'all must listen to this one first. I'm thinking it aired in 1944, based on the movies and songs it mentions. So everyone is really young. It's great! 

The Stratton Story {1949} - Starring: James Stewart, June Allyson, Frank Morgan.... - I taped this movie on a whim the other week off of TCM. I thought it looked good. It's a baseball movie (always good). Jimmy Stewart is in it (huge points). And boy was it a good movie. (If you are a baseball fan, you will like to know that Bill Dicky also plays himself, just like he did in The Pride of the Yankees.) It is a very sweet, encouraging {Jimmy Stewart's character loses his leg} movie. Definitely one of my favorite sport movies. I highly recommend it! *smiles*

I've also been loving pumpkin empanadas, apple cider, and homemade hot chocolate.

What have y'all been loving this week?

Movie Review:: I Love Melvin {1953}

I watched a simply charming movie last night. Its name, I Love Melvin. Starring: Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds. Both who are favorites of mine. *smiles* It was delightful to see them paired together after appearing together in Singing in the Rain {1952}. I have to say, I think O'Connor & Reynolds are just adorable together {I kinda wish Reynolds was paired with O'Connor in SItR instead of Gene Kelly}. 



The movie is about a girl who is trying to make it in the acting world. Who has a protective family, and a rich boyfriend who wants to marry her (but she doesn't truly love him. Her father loves him as he has security {money}). One day in a park she bumps into a boy who is an inspiring photographer for LOOK magazine. Who after they meet he promises to have be on the cover. It is just a whirlwind of events after that. I don't want to give away too much of the story to y'all! ;-)

Source: imdb.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Debbie has one adorable wardrobe in this film. In fact, I wished everything she wore could just jump into my closet - hair included. *laughs* But I mean it. Everything is so cute! There wasn't one thing I didn't like that she wore. That is kinda amazing. 


One of my very favorite outfits of hers was in the dance scene, Who Taught You to Dance?. Too cute! There was one interesting thing about her skirt. Her petticoat was attached to the skirt. I'm guessing this is not the norm, and they only did it for her to get dressed quicker in the scene. 




Here are some of my favorite scenes from the film and we can't forget the movie trailer. ;-)



Movie Trailer.

This is my favorite dance number and song for this week. I've only listened to the song over 400 times this week. 

This is my second favorite number and song for this week.


You can buy both the movie and soundtrack on Amazon. 


Have you seen this movie? And what is your favorite Donald O'Connor and/or Debbie Reynolds film?

Movie Game Answers & Winner of Giveaway

Are you all excited to see the answers for the little movie game I put together? : ) The list included some of my favorite films and TV shows. Yes, most of the things I watch are not well known and I haven't seen all the popular Old Hollywood films. Gone With the Wind is one example. Also films with the popular actresses of the era I haven't really seen at all either. I've seen more films with either the popular actors, or all the lesser known actresses and actors. *smiles* Oh, at the end of the post I'll be announcing the winner of the necklace. :)

1. Above Suspicion {1943} Starring: Fred MacMurray, Joan Crawford, and Basil Rathbone.

Only one of you guessed this one and that was, Vicki. I think you all need to go watch this movie. I think you can watch it on YouTube, or on TCM. ;-)

2. The Great Escape {1963} Starring: Steve McQueen, James Garner.... 

Seven of you knew this film and they are: Vicki, nzkiwigirl, Caroline, Achaia, Natasha Marie, A Still Small Voice, and Esther. 

3. The Man Who Knew Too Much {1956} Starring: James Stewart & Doris Day.

Achaia and Vicki were the only ones who guessed this one. Tsk. Tsk. I guess I'll have to do movie reviews for all these lesser known films that I simply adore! ;-)

4. My Fair Lady {1964} Starring: Rex Harrison & Audrey Hepburn.

The eight who guessed correctly: A Still Small Voice, Alisha, Esther, Vicki, Natasha Marie, Hayden, Marissa, and Chip. 

5. Felicity: An American Girl Adventure {2005} Starring: Shailene Woodley, Kevin Zegers, John Schneider, and Marcia Gay Harden.

Only four of you guessed this one: Brigid, Caroline, Marissa, and Alisha.  

6. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl {2008} Starring: Abigail Breslin, Julia Ormond, Max Thieriot, and Willow Smith.

Scottish Gal, A Still Small Voice, Alisha, Sereina, Esther, Darby May, Jordan, and Ponytails are the ones who guessed correctly for this film. 

 7. Casablanca {1942} Starring: Humphery Bogart & Ingrid Bergman.

Ponytails, Megan.Margaret, Achaia, Natasha Marie, Jojo, Marissa, Chip, SisterlyLove, Kristin, Vicki, Mary Jane, Sereina, and Esther you all guessed correctly. 

8. High Society {1956} Starring: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra.

Megan.Margaret, Vicki, nzkiwigirl, Achaia, Kristin, Mary Jane, and Sereina are the only ones who knew this hilarious film!

9. The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer {1947} Starring: Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Shirley Temple.

Kristin, Mary Jane, and Achaia are the only three to guess this film. What a pity. This is a hilarious movie. 

10. I Confess {1953} Starring: Montgomery Cliff & Anne Baxter.

Achaia, Marissa, Kristin, and Vicki are the only ones to guess this Hitchcock film.

11. Robin Hood (2006 - 2009) BBC TV Show Starring: Jonas Armstrong, Richard Armitage, and Lucy Griffiths. 

SisterlyLove, Caroline, and Gabrielle are the only ones to guess this TV Show. 

12. The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961 - 1966) TV Show Starring: Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore....

Vicki, Kristin, Mary Jane, Darby May, Sereina, Lilic Bud Gal, and Natasha Atkerson.

13. The Long, Long Trailer {1953} Starring: Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz.

Lilic Bud Gal, Kristin, Mary Jane, A Still Small Voice, and Sereina.

14. The Pride of the Yankees {1942} Starring: Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, and Walter Brennan. 


Only my good friend, Achaia knew this one. How sad. As this is a wonderful movie!

15. The Donna Reed Show {1958 - 1966} TV Show Starring: Donna Reed, Paul Peterson, Carl Betz, and Shelley Fabares.


SisterlyLove, Natasha Marie, and Vicki.

16. North & South {2004} Starring: Richard Armitage, Daniela Denby-Ashe, and Brendan Coyle. 


Lilic Bud Gal, nzkiwigirl, Caroline, Hayden, Marissa, SisterlyLove,  Kristin, Esther, Brigid, Natasha Marie, and Darby May.

17. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader {2010} Starring: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, and Ben Barnes. 


Lilic Bud Gal, Natasha Atkerson, Vicki, nzkiwigirl, Caroline, Gabrielle, Hayden, SisterlyLove, Scottish Gal, Mary Jane, and Esther.

18. The Adventures of Robin Hood {1938} Starring: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, and Alan Hale.


Vicki, Caroline, Achaia, Natasha Marie, Chip, Scottish Gal, and Vicki.

19. The Swan {1956} Starring: Grace Kelly, Alec Guinness, and Agnes Moorehead.


Alright only Achaia knew this movie. I thought more people might of known this movie as it has Grace Kelly in it. 

20. Knute Rockne All American {1940} Starring: Pat O'Brien, Ronald Reagan, and Donald Crisp.


Achaia, Vicki, and Esther.

21. The Santa Fe Trail {1940} Starring: Errol Flynn, Ronald Reagan, Olivia de Havilland, and Alan Hale.


Achaia, Natasha Marie, and Vicki.

22. Laura {1944} Starring: Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews.


Achaia, Chip, and A Still Small Voice.

23. Road to Avonlea {1990 - 1996} TV Show Starring: Zachary Bennett, Mag Ruffman, Jackie Burroughs, Cedric Smith....


I can't believe no one got this one. The quote was, Character 1: You're never safe from surprise until you're dead. Are you wondering who said it? Well, it was Rachel Lynde. =)

24. The Egg & I {1947} Starring: Fred MacMurray & Claudette Colbert.


Natasha Atkerson, Vicki, Caroline, Achaia, Chip, SisterlyLove, Vicki, Sereina, and Esther.

25. The AbsentMinded Professor {1961} Starring: Fred MacMurray, Tommy Kirk, and Nancy Olson.


Lilic Bud Gal, Vicki, Achaia, Natasha Marie, Chip, Scottish Gal, Vicki, A Still Small Voice, and Esther.  


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Now the winner of this necklace is.....Amanda Flynn. Hurray! I'll be sending you an email latter today, Amanda. :)


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Other news, I have some new items in my Etsy shop. Including those flowly vests that are so popular. So go check out my shop.